Motion-transmitting device for motive-power engines.



PATENTED JAN. '7, 1908.

A. J. B. LBGB. MoTIoN TRANSMITTING DEVICE POR MOTIVB POWER ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1005.

5 SHBETS*SHEET l.

PATENTED JAN. '7, 1908.

A. I. E. LEGE. MOTION TEANSMITIING DEVICE EOE MOTIVE POWER ENGINES.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1005.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

A. J. E. LEGE. MOTION TEANSMITTING DEVICE EOE MOTIVE POWER ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1005.

PATENTED JAN. '7, 1908.

A. J. B. LEGE. MOTION TRANSMITTINOOEVIOE POR MOTIVB POWER ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5,1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 876,202. PATENTED JAN. 7. 190s. A. J. B. LEG-B.

MOTION TRANSMITTING DEVICE FOR MOTIVE POWER ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1005.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

ANNIBAL JEAN BAPTISTE LEGE, or BAENsBURr, LONDON, ENGLAND.

MOTION-TRANSMITTING DEVICE FOR MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1908.

Application filed September 5, 1905. Serial No. 277.065.

To all whom it may cof/wcm:

Be it known that I, ANNIBAL JEAN BAP- TIsTE LEGE, engineer, a citizen of the 4Reublic of France, residing at Nos. 45 and 47 Jofting road, Liverpool Road, Barnsbury, in

the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to a Motion-Transmittinfr-Device for Motlve-Power Engines, of whic the following is a specification..

This invention relates to a motion transmitting device for motive power engines and has re erence more particularly to internal combustion engines, although the invention is applicable also to steam engines.

The invention has for its chief object to obviate the drawbacks attending the use of ordinary crank shafts.

According to my said invention, the ordinary crank shaft 1s dispensed with, and the power of the pistons is transmitted to the machine to be driven by means of an oscillatory lever, frame or disk, mounted at its center of motion upon a universal fulcrum and adapted to receive its oscillatory motion from various pistons with which its several on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

arms or radii are respectively connected by means of universally jointed or socketed links or connecting rods. The said frame or disk transmits a rotary motion to a disk or carrier or ecuivalent device fast on the driving shaft of t 1e said machine by means of an arm or finger formed or fixed upon the said oscillatory fr ame or disk at or near its center, and approximately at right angles to the plane thereof The frame or disk is also provided with an arm or finger for actuating the cam shaft. And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into effect, I will now proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully to describe the same.

Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 of an explosion engine having the present invention applied there to. Fig. 2 1s an end elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of parts taken Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of parts showing more particularly the cams and their co-acting trucks and some connections. Fig. 6 is a sectional end elevation of the cams and cam sleeve and secondary shaft. Fi 7 is a side elevation of the cams and cam oss separately. Fig. 8 is a sectional side elevation of one of the radius arms and part of its connected valve rod separatel Fig. 9 is an end elevation thereof with t e corresponding cam shown by dotted linesf Fig. 10 1s a similar view to Fig. 8 illustrating another one of the radius arms. Fig. 11 is a similar view to Fig. 8 illustrating another of the radius arms. Fig. 12 is a plan thereof. Fig. 13' isan end elevation thereof.

vention to a steam engine, and, Fig. 21 is a detail view.`of the cam for actuating the valves together with the co-acting ends of the valve rods.

In the several figures, like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference, and Figs. 6 to 19 are drawn to an increased scale with respect to the other figures of the drawm main frame or casing of the engine, a represents a boss .orbearing which is fitted with the usual phosphor bronze or equivalent lining, b represents the main or driving shaft whic is mounted in said bearing, and c represents a secondary shaft which is mounted in a bearing a? carried by the frame a* and in a second bearing aa carried by a skeleton or spider like frame d fixed with thevalve boxes. e represents the cylinders of the engine or motor and which may be six in number as shown or any other suitable number are arranged in a circle struck from the common axis of the shafts b and c and' said cylinders are preferably surrounded by a water jacket af* formed by part of the frame or casing a and e represents the pistons and e2 represents the piston rods which are connected with the pistons by means of ball and socket joints c3, so as to admit of the necessary free movement thereof.

Carried by studs or posts afl" projecting from the frame a* is a spider like skeleton frame f and centrally thereof and integrally therewith is formed a hemispherical part socket or cup f', or the part socket mi ht be formed separately from the frame f an fixed Referring to Figs. 1 to 19, a represents theV therewith, and removably fixed with the frame f by means of bolts and nuts is the other hemispherical part f of the socket.

Mounted withinthe cupor socket j" f* which constitutes a bearing therefor is a ball vor sphere g provided at diametrically opposite points in its circumference with arm's orV sponding bearing formed in a crank or' oset.

c fixed with the secondary shaft c.-

Fixed upon the arm or finger g is a skeleton frame consisting of a number of radialv arms g3 one corresponding with each cylinder e and the outer ends of the piston rods e2 are connected with the extremities of the radial arms g3 bymeans of ball and socket joints e4 and the 'piston rods are thus adapted each to impart an independent angular or oscillatory or rocking movement to the frame g3, which is permitted by 'the peculiar mounting of its axis g, and thus give a direct thrust to the crank offset or carrier b', the arm g3 acted upon and the arm orfinger g being in effect a bell crank.

The explosions in the several cylinders are timed or arranged to take place in alternate order so that three cylinders act during each revolutionand the arm or finger g is' caused to sweep round in a circular course so that a continuous rotary motion is thus imparted to the main or driving shaft b and through' the finger or arm g2 and crank c to the secondary shaft c.

In order Ato prevent the rotationof the os' cillatory frame g3 said frame is provided with an intermediate or supplemental arm g4 which is at its end cranked and provided with a roller g5 which Works in a guide a5 'carried by the casing a.

Each cylinder e and piston e is in effect an independent engine and inasmuch as the construction and action of an explosion engine is well understood it is not thought necessary to give a detailed description thereof but the main parts of the valve mechanism and some other features will be shortly referred to in order to facilitate their identification.

h 'represents the valve box ofeach cylinder Within which is the usual automatic or inwardly opening spring valve h -controlling the admission of explosive mixture to the cylinders e and which is supplied to' each cylinder by a circular or ring like pipe h2 ``sents the usual spring closed exhaust valve common to all and which pipe h2 is by a branch h3 adapted to be connected with any well known carbureting apparatus, 71,4 repre- .tact blade hm carried by an insulating disk or holder h which bears against amake and break contact disk or wheel i* fixed upon a sleeve i revolubly mounted upon the secondary shaft c and which sleeve receives a reduced speed in a ratio of two to one through an internally toothed wheel i fixed with the sleeve i, a toothed wheel c2 fixed with the secondary shaft and intermediate pinions c* mounted upon studs carried by thecasing a* and which gearing necessarily reverses the direction of rotation of the sleeve i with relation to the .shaft c.

Fixed with the sleeve i are a number of cams one corresponding with each exhaust valve h4 and marked with numerals 1 to 6, and these cams which are arranged in differn` ent planes act upon trucks or rollers numbered luto 6a carried ,by curved offsets jfrom radius arms and the radius arms engage the forked ends 1b to 6b of the rods h5 of the-valves h4 as hereinafter more fully described and thus open the exhaust valves h4 of the cylinders marked for the purpose ofidentification 1c to 6c in the order hereinafter named. The cams and adjacent parts to carry the truck, and the other jg being em` braced by and pivotally connected'with the forked end 1b`2b of the corresponding valve rod h5 as showii at Figs. 8 to 10.' v The radius arm shown at Fig. 18 and carrying the truck- 6a is similar to the above except that the angle-thereof is oppositely arranged in order to bring the truck 6a into alinement with its cam 6. The radius arm shown at Figs. 11 to 13 is substantially the same as those shown at Figs. 8 and 10 except that the offset '2 `is dispensed with and the forked end 3b o the valve rod h5 occupies a position within the jaws of the offset?"l and the axes of the truck 3a and forked end 3b of the valve rod h5 are coincident one pin serving for both. rIlhe radius arm j, shownl at Figs. 16 and 17, is substantially the same as that lastly hereinbefore described except that the angle thereof is oppositely arranged in order to bring the truck 5a into alinement with its cam 5. The radius arm shown* at Figs. 14 and 15 is similar to that lastly here- Brasca trucks 1 to 6a hereinbefore shown and described is as follows :---The charges in cylinders 1c 2c and 3c which have been sucked in and compressed by turning the shafts c through one revolution by the aid of the usual starting handle lc are ignited in successive order the current assing by any of the contact terminals 1d 2 and 3d thus bringing about one revolution of the shaft b. The exhaust valves h* of cylinders 5c 6'3 and 4c are during said revolution each opened in successive order by the cams 5, 6, 4 when the crank or carrier b arrives in lalinement therewith thus scavenging those cylinders and each of said cylinders immediately after the scavenging sucks in its charge of explosive mixture which is subsequently compressed. The charges in ycylinders 4 5c and c are then ignited by the'contacts 4d, 5Cl and 6d in successive orderl thus bringing about a second revolution of vthe shaft b. The exhaust valves h of cylinders 3c, 1 and 2c are during said revolution each opened in successive order by the cams 3, 1 and 2 thus scavenging those cylinders and each of said cylinders immediately 'Fa'fter the scavenging sucks in its charge of explosive mixture which is subsequently'compressed. The contacts 1d, 2d, 3d are sofarran ed that the charges in cylinders 1c, 2,c am? 3 are next ignited in successive order and so on.

Ball bearings are referably employed at the connections of tiie arms or fingers g g2 with their cranks or carriersb, c and also in connection with the sleeve i of the cams.

In the example given at Figs. 20 and 21, the invention 1s shown applied to a steam engine. In this case the pow er transmitting device g is onstructed as a disk strengthened by webs land the motive fluid is 'admitted to and exhausted from the cylinders e in successive order by means of piston slide c** fixed .upon the secondary shaft c and driven directly thereby without the intervention ofthe two speed gear 0*, c2, i employed in 'Qthe previous arrangements and said eccentric acts upon the trucks or rollers l of the valve rods Z2 so as t0 effect the outward traverse of the valves Zwhile the inward traverse of said valves to o en the exhaust orts e* is caused by springs 3. The housing it" is in this case dispensed with and instead of the hollow jackets a* around the cylinders e they are packed with slag wool or other suitable heat non-conducting material inclosed by wood lag 'ng a*. In other respects the engine is su stantially the same as that hereinbefore described'with respect to the previous figures.

It will be obvious that the construction and arrangement of the parts may be considerably modified without de arting from the spirit of the invention and t e number of cylinders and co-actin arts employed may be varied as desired, wliile, in some cases, a second set of cylinders and pistons may be arranged to act upon the opposite side of the power transmittin frame.

By the means ereinbefore described, a crank and crank shaft as ordinarily employed are dispensed with and in the revolution of the vmain shaft a number of impulses are given thereto so that in effect a rotary engine 1s obtained possessing the advantages of a reciprocatin engine and without the well known draw acks of a rotary engine.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat-V ent is 1. In an engine, a frame having a plurality of cylinders arranged in a circle, a main or driven shaft arranged axially of said circle, a power transmitting frame havin a universal supporting fulcrum, pistons for t e cylinders, piston rods connecting the respective pistons with the power transmitting frame, a cam shaft operated from said power transmitting frame, a plurality of cams arran ed side b side on said shaft, an exhaust va ve for eac c linder, and mechanism whereby each of t e cams on the cam shaft is caused to eriodically o erate one of the exhaust va ves, substantia ly as described.

2. In an engine, several cylinders arranged in a circle, a main or driven shaft arranged axially of said circle and having an offset, carrier or crank, a secondary or cam shaft in alinement with the main shaft and having a similar offset or crank, a power transmittin frame or disk mounted u on a ball, universa fulcrum or joint arrange axially of said circle and between the ends of the two shafts, piston rods connected by ball or universal joints -with their pistons and With the extremities or periphery of the frame or disk, a stud or finger fixed axially with the power transmittino` frame or disk and connected with the offset carrier or crank of the main shaft b a universal joint, asecondary finger or stu fixed with the power transmitting frame or disk or its axis and connected by a universal joint with the offset or crank of the secondary shaft, with an exhaust valve for each cylinder, a cam or cams on the cam shaft, and mechanism connecting said cam or cams with the respective exhaust valves, substantially as herein shownand described andy fr the purpose stated.

3. In an engine, several cylinders arranged in a circle, a main or driven shaft arranged axially of said circle and having an offset carrier or crank, a secondary or cam shaft in alinement with the main shaft and having a similar oiset or crank, `a power transmitting frame or disk mounted u on a -ball or universal joint arranged axia y of the circle between the ends of said shafts, suitable valves to the engine, a cam or cams driven directly or indirectly by the secondary shaft for actuating said-valves, a lateral offset from the power transmitting device and `a co-acting guide for preventing the rotation of said device, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.

4. In an engine, a frame having a plurality of cylinders arranged in a circle, a main o1' driven shaft arranged axially of said circle, a

power transmitting frame having a universal supportingfulcrum, pistons for the cylinders, piston rods connecting the respective pistons with the power transmittingframe, a cam shaft operated from said power transmitting frame, a plurality of cams arranged side by side on said shaft7 an exhaust valve for each cylinder, a rod for each exhaust valve, aleh ver having an arm connected to said rod, each lever having a roller placed to be operated on by one of the cams, substantially as described.

-NNIBAL JEAN BAPTISTE LEGE.' 

